SALT meets in Ellsworth

Seniors and Law Enforcement Together hears presentations on poaching, Crimestoppers

February 8, 2013

Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) met for the first time this year at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ellsworth.

During the meeting, conservation officer Nate Anderson, with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, spoke to seniors about poaching in the state. He presented information on Turn in Poachers of Iowa (TIP), which allows people to anonymously report poaching or other illegal hunting activities.

Thousands of deer are killed illegally by poachers every year, being about equal to legal hunting in some states, according to TIP. The organization offers cash rewards for reports of poaching. A report of a person poaching small game can earn a person $150 and that amount increases up to $1,000 for threatened or endangered species or commercial poaching operations. Tips to TIP can be called in at (800) 532-2020.

Kathy Getting presented a powerpoint about Hamilton County Crimestoppers. Webster City Police Chief Brian Hughes said that the organization has many ways to report a crime.

"With the texting and the emails, the web based forms, a lot of the seniors don't use that technology. So, we let them know that we have a direct phone number and that the information isn't just for the top 10 posted in the paper, but if they have information for any crime, they can call it in an there are rewards available for that," Hughes said.

Hughes said that information provided to Crimestoppers can be valuable for the police department even if the information does not lead to an arrest.

The SALT board planned the meetings to uphold the mission of increasing and improving crime prevention and education for seniors." Hamilton County SALT is sponsored by city and county law enforcement, Hamilton County Public Health, Southfield Wellness Community and ISU Extension and Outreach, Hamilton County, RSVP and Hamilton County Conservation.

All S.A.L.T. meetings are free of charge and open to any interested citizen. No reservations are required to attend. For additional information, please contact Susan Schmitz, ISU Extension and Outreach, Hamilton County, at 515-832-9597.